UNSC Vote on New Gaza Ceasefire Resolution Postponed to March 25

By Staff, Agencies

Following the veto of a US-led draft resolution on Gaza, the vote at the UN Security Council on a new text calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza has been postponed to Monday [March 25], diplomatic sources informed AFP.

According to the diplomatic sources, the new ceasefire resolution that was supposed to be voted on today was postponed to make room for further discussions.

The new draft resolution, as seen by AFP, "demands an immediate ceasefire" for the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan that leads "to a permanent sustainable ceasefire" adhered to by "all sides".

Eight out of 10 Security Council non-permanent members have been devising the draft, which also urges the "immediate and unconditional" release of captives and the removal of "all barriers" to humanitarian aid entering the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said, "We as [the] Arab Group unanimously endorse and support the draft resolution," as he had previously labeled the US-led text as biased.

However, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield had a different stance as she said that the resolution would put the ongoing diplomatic talks to reach a deal maintaining the release of the captives at risk thereby reiterating the same claim the United States provided before vetoing previous ceasefire resolutions.

"In its current form, that text fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse, it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table," she said.